SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18th, 1943.

PRESENT:

The Director General

The Parliamentary Secretary

Mr. Francis Williams

Mr. Gates

Mr. Grubb

Mr. Royds

Mr. Cruikshank

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macgregor

Commander Easton

Brigadier Neville

Admiral Carpendale

Mr. Lyne

Mr. Carter

1. REPORTS FROM SERVICE ADVISERS .

2. BARKWAY'S BROADCAST.

Admiral Carpendale drew attention to the patronising tone and unfortunate phrasing of last night's B.B.C. commentary by Barkway on the Tunisian operations. His unfavourable view was shared by other members of the Board who had heard the broadcast, and Mr. Macgregor undertook to investigate and report.

[B/214]

3. MASARYK'S BROADCAST .

Mr. Kirkpatrick reported that a proposed German-language broadcast by Mr. Jan Masaryk had been cancelled on policy grounds, but that Reuter had nevertheless sent the text overseas as having been broadcast. He attributed to the effective co-operation of the Duty Assistant Director, Censorship, the fact that no references had in this instance appeared in the British Press, but maintained that possibilities of grave embarrassment were inherent in the unchecked transmission abroad of broadcasts, especially by Allied personalities, which at the time of sending were still subject to alteration or (as in this case) cancellation. The Board shared this view, and it was agreed that, the matter being hardly one for Censorship, Mr. Grubb should instruct Mr. Arrow to take the matter up with Reuter.

[FP/6014]

4. BARCELONA FAIR (See Minutes of 9th February, 1943).

[DE/22/2.]

In connection with a telegram from Madrid, which revealed a mistaken assumption of the Ministry's intentions, Mr. Royds reported that the Department of Overseas Trade, which had now obtained the backing of the Board of Trade, maintained its objection to British participation in the Fair. The Director General offered to take the chair at an early meeting of representatives of the various departments interested, and invited Mr. Grubb and Mr. Royds to propose its composition.

N.B . There were no Minutes issued on the 16th and 17th February, 1943.